


Nameless Story

by Amerutan



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh!, Yu-Gi-Oh! Series
Genre: Ambiguous/Open Ending, Angst, M/M, Open to Interpretation, Prideshipping, Sad, Sentimental
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-14
Updated: 2017-01-14
Packaged: 2018-09-17 12:27:43
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,159
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9323546
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Amerutan/pseuds/Amerutan
Summary: [Seto glanced at the pendant hanging from the neighbor's neck, and in his blue eyes flashed a spark of resentment.The realization that even his life couldn’t continue until Yugi was freed from that artifact made him furious and restless.(...)In that case, Seto Kaiba couldn’ t say 'It’s enough!' to make everything back to normal, according to his will.Atem was a chapter of his life that still refused to find a conclusion once and for all, and that haunted him wherever he went, despite the boy insisted on ignoring his existence.]





	

_I do not own “Yu-Gi-Oh!”. The characters in this story belong to Kazuki Takahashi. Enjoy the reading!_

**-NAMELESS STORY-**

Seto Kaiba looked down at his drink, stifling yet another sigh and putting the glass on one of the tables that filled the reception hall of Castle Pegasus.  
That night the billionaire’s home was a triumph of lights and effects, and the brass chandeliers, polished for the occasion, shed a light equal to high noon.  
Guests roamed the room chatting and exchanging pleasantries that even the Kaiba Corporation’s president had not been able to escape, especially when the business rival Siegfried Von Schroider arrived, accompanied by some major investors that wouldn’t like to be ignored.  
He was accustomed to that kind of events and the most demanding guests who took part, but at that time he wasn’t in the mood to indulge those festivities, however, the questions and curiosity that filled the mouths of the foreigner guests, the carefree bustle of the latter, immortalized occasionally by photographers, and Pegasus who were trying to make sure that everyone was enjoying the atmosphere created before the promotional launch of their new product, only served to make him even more anxious about the announcement and then leave the island.  
That weekend he should have let himself be persuaded by Mokuba to stay at Domino City, but after the partnership forged in the previous months between KC and I2 he could not help but miss the promotional launch’s preview, where there was a group of buyers of a certain importance interested in their new proposal.  
However Seto promised himself to leave the island once fulfilled his duties, and return the following evening to Japan after a quick morning meeting at the US branch of his company.  
-Take off that funereal face immediately, Kaiba-boy- said, playful, his business partner, stopping beside him -Can’t you do something better than that, tonight?-;  
-Pegasus, you said it were not going to be anything other than the presentation of the new system, but if I knew I had to take part in a frivolous party full of paparazzi, champagne and dandies from overseas, to me I would have gladly avoided it- Seto whispered, glaring at the man who did not seem to notice it, keeping his aplomb and greeting some acquaintance passing by.  
-Oh, come on, Kaiba-boy. The presentation will be all right, and a little of suspense can only benefit the evening. These dandies, as you define them, are our best buyers in the stock market, remember that. But that's okay. After all the man of smiles and entertainment is me, right? - He said, shrugging his shoulders -Be patient just a few more minutes-;  
-I don’t know why but I get the impression that you have something else in mind. Tell me if I'm wrong ... - Seto paused, noticing the familiar figure of Yugi Muto walking toward them and rising a hand in a timid greet.  
-How ‘s going, Kaiba?- He said, trying to pull the more natural smile he had.  
-Yugi?- murmured the CEO, frowning and turning to the business partner -Why is he here?-;  
-What do you mean?- smiled the American -Are you forgetting that Yugi-boy is our precious World Champion? I figured you'd be bored while waiting, so I decided to invite him to give a little bit of action to the presentation-.  
Seto’s blue eyes were reduced to slits; Yugi’s eyelids, however, widened.  
-W-wait, Mr. Pegasus. What does it mean?-;  
-It means, young World Champion, that you and Kaiba-boy will give a little hands on demonstration of our new duel system to our eagerly guests- answered the I2’s president, excited, opening his arms to more emphasize his unexpected announcement.  
-Pegasus- hissed Seto -Couldn’t have you told me about it before?-;  
-Ups! Ten minutes to the presentation! In the meantime, have fun and ... Kaiba-boy, smile- pointed out the man, moving away and joining the conversation of a small group of journalists.  
-I had to expect that this event wouldn’t be similar to Anzu’s birthday parties- Yugi sighed resigned, looking at his tuxedo.  
Seto preferred not to comment, throwing sideways glances.  
The DM Champion seemed to want not to be there too; the unease he felt among all those people became more and more obvious every minute, and soon Seto had the confirmation that he didn’t understand even the most basic questions posed by guests.  
Several times in the space of few minutes, he saw Yugi decline their attentions with nervous and embarrassing smiles, whispering in a barely audible way words like _“Gud ivning”_ and _“S-sorry”_ and then shooking his head like a madman to make them understand his inability to express himself in other languages that were not Japanese.  
After yet another hole in the water, to avoid the boy unleashed conflicts with some European states, Seto stepped between him and a wealthy couple of Swedish entrepreneurs, just long enough to give them concise answers to their questions.  
-Thank you so much- Yugi whispered, when the two foreigners had left -Wait, Kaiba, where are you going? Soon we'll have to ... -.  
The smallest paused and shrugged his shoulders, looking at the KC’s president moving away towards the terrace, and then down on the Millennium Puzzle; for a moment his smile disappeared:  
-Why didn’t you show yourself?- He thought, turning at the spirit the Puzzle contains -Atem?-.  
Yugi sighed, disheartened to notice that even the presence of Kaiba seemed to not convince the pharaoh to come out, in fact, since the CEO met Yugi, Atem had stopped sharing his thoughts with the pal and had locked himself in a worrying silence.  
Was it just the Kaiba Corp’s president the reason why the pharaoh became so taciturn?  
-What’s happening, Atem? There is something you’re keeping inside, and I'd like to know what it is ... -.  
Silence.  
Yugi decided to leave his friend alone, although troubled by his strange behavior.  
From the day of their return, after bringing to light the spirit’s name and his memories, Yugi, Jonouchi and their friends had returned to Domino City, promising to Ishtars to contact them as soon as Atem felt ready to return in Afterlife, but still none of the two mates seemed to be prepared to say goodbye to each other.  
Yugi was glad Atem decided to stay for much more time before their final duel, but in the last weeks the pharaoh seemed to be changed, he became more and more taciturn, and, in the brief moments in which he showed at Yugi’s side, he seemed lost in some kind of thoughts whom the Puzzle owner was not able to understand.  
It had always been so natural for them to be mutually aware of each other's thoughts, however recently the young monarch had even began to hide his own reflections to him, making it impossible to pursue the matter...  
-We still have time… - reassured Yugi, looking back at the guests around him -By the way...-  He almost felt out of breath to think about wander alone in a room full of foreigners too excited about him, including Vivian Wong who, on his arrival, seeing him, attempted to hug him in front of  the photographers.  
He swallowed, unable to find an escape route in that room full of people moving in all directions, so he decided to seek a refuge outside.  
-Um, Kaiba, I think I’ll come with you- said Yugi after having seen two familiars odango soar and move through the crowd; then he quickened, overcoming the red brocade drapes that separated the hall from the rooftop terrace.

When the sound of the waves replaced the buzz and chatter of the room, Seto finally found a bit of relief.  
He’d never been a big fan of those promotional events, however Pegasus knew his country’s market strategies and how to ingratiate himself with all those eccentric characters, and Seto could only indulge him. His work forced him to take charge even of that side, and although he could not deny himself the satisfaction he felt looking at his products launched on the road to success, Seto Kaiba still remained that sort of solitary genius whose ideas were born one after the other in the peace and quiet of his offices and laboratories, supported by an experienced staff, which had quickly learned to support him with facts and not with the small talk that he didn’t tolerate.  
Seto was already thinking of something new, eager to get to work and keeping his mind busy with new projects.  
-Kaiba? -.  
The boy turned his gaze to Yugi, who was standing a few feet away from him, and for a moment his mind wandered to the day when they had both returned to Domino City.  
After his return, Seto didn’t even had to provide any explanations to his younger brother and his most trusted employees about that trip in pharaoh's memories.  
Seto already had his mind set into the new prototype, protagonist of the event of that evening, which would keep him busy for several weeks; moreover, he had thoughts and worries to be forgotten, and so he did what was most natural for him: he had thrown himself headlong into work, often spending the nights in his laboratory, so much that Mokuba had protested for that insane behavior.  
Shortly after that, the lil’ brother became aware of the facts through Jounouchi, Anzu and Honda, because one day, coming back home, he had begun to overwhelm Seto with questions about Atem.  
_-The others have told me everything, but I still don’t understand ... Nii-sama, did you and Atem argue?-_ asked him, watching the CEO working on the new prototype _-And why did you also refused to take part in the tournament organized by I2?-._  
Seto had continued his work, noticing but ignoring the young brother’s disappointed air.  
He knew that if there was another person that Mokuba felt great esteem after him that was Atem, and though struggling to not to show it, he seemed sorry for the fact that he no longer had the opportunity to meet him later at last DM Grand Championship organized by their company.  
_-The fact is that Atem and I have nothing more to tell each other, Mokuba. This story is now over and I don’t want to hear about it anymore. As for tournaments, we’ll have plenty of time to organize others when the new prototype will be completed-._  
And now, after a month, he had find Yugi.  
He knew that sooner or later it would happen, he could not avoid it, but it still bothered him anyway, though he could not blame his ex-classmate. It wasn’t with Yugi Muto that Seto had a score to settle, but with that coward who, it seemed, had not yet decided to leave once and for all from their way.  
Seto glanced at the pendant hanging from the neighbor's neck, and in his blue eyes flashed a spark of resentment.  
The realization that even his life couldn’t continue until Yugi was freed from that artifact made him furious and restless.  
Even if he was struggling to deny it to himself, Seto was so tied to the events in which Atem had involved him for years, that even refusing to had something to do with it didn’t make him feel better, and it didn’t free him from that oppressive weight that haunted him for over a month.  
In that case, Seto Kaiba couldn’ t say 'It’s enough!' to make everything back to normal, according to his will.  
Atem was a chapter of his life that still refused to find a conclusion once and for all, and that haunted him wherever he went, despite the boy insisted on ignoring his existence.  
-Would you ... - Seto turned to Yugi, who had stopped for a moment, unsure whether to continue -I was wondering if you would like to talk to him- He said finally.  
-What?-;  
-In these last weeks I couldn’t communicate freely with Atem- revealed the smaller, taking courage and abandoning the usual shy and peaceful air -It seems that something torments him from the day of our return. Kaiba, I had the feeling that his strange behavior has something to do with you-.  
-Ridiculous. Are you trying to accuse me of something?-;  
-Of course not- hurried the puzzle owner -But I'm sure that if you accept to talk with him ... -;  
-Talk with him?- Seto blew scornfully -What makes you think that I am willing to talk to him?-;  
-Talk to me about what?-.  
The sudden change of voice from Yugi forced the CEO to stop.  
There, standing and waiting for a response, Atem shrugged and returned the puzzled look of his interlocutor.  
-You seem to be well, Kaiba- said, after a moment of silence.  
-I can’t say the same about you. From what I seem to understand, now is Yugi your baby sitter-.  
Atem frowned: -Yugi’s the World Champion now- he reminded him -He certainly has no need of my support, if that's what you mean ... -;  
-If so why don’t you leave his body once and for all, instead of acting as a parasite?-.  
Atem widened his eyes, caught off guard by these words pronounced with every intention to hurt him.  
-It will happen- he replied -Yeah ... He would do a lot better if only I decided to sever our ties forever-;  
-Hm, I'll have to apologize to Jonouchi- interrupted Seto, folding his lips into a disdainful smile, after listening to his words -I always defined him _bonkotsu_ , but I apparently made a mistake. If there is anyone ‘mediocre’ that’s you, I have no doubts anymore- accused him -You’ve found your memory and your name weeks ago, didn’t you? Wasn’t this what you wanted? I wonder what are you still doing here, in Yugi's body, which probably would like to go back to live a normal life without people that weight on his shoulders. We know him well, he’s too kind and polite to ask you to go away. Don’t you think it would be your duty to say goodbye first? Didn’t you just said that you are certain he can also do well without you?-.  
For Atem those last words were like a knife in the chest. He paused, and after a brief moment of silence the boy realized where he was leading, and the reason why Kaiba talked to him that way, disdainful and haughty. Everything to hurt and make him feel guilty for every day spent in that time and in that world which he didn’t belong to.  
-Kaiba- hissed Atem, clenching his fists.  
Seto was using his stay in Yugi's body as an excuse to put him up against the wall, because of what happened between them in Egypt...  
After hearing those words, the pharaoh was certain that the coldness shown by Seto concealed an open wound.  
-You’ve been using a lot of excuses, and I don’t like being teased. Tell me, if I’m wrong… What else holds you back, Atem?-;  
-What else ...? -.  
Atem pursed his lips, forced against his will to evoke the memory that had become a crushing burden, when he and Seto had found themselves facing each other in his memories, just like was happening at that moment.  
That day, a confused and angry Seto Kaiba, seeing Atem next to his cousin Seth, had shouted in his face to choose, despite he thought that the pharaoh had remained chained to those two faces so similar, being overlapped by everyone, and whose memories mingled up to exasperate the one that for three years had been his fiercest and respected rival, as well the person who had struggled for weeks to put aside their pride and make him understand his own feelings.  
Seto was still furious to have exposed himself so much and unnecessarily, and because Atem had shown himself torn between a ghost from the past and him, who had long been his reality, his present.  
What he didn’t seem to understand was that Atem couldn’t see things the way Seto did, putting the past behind him.  
Atem himself was the past.  
How he yearn for a present and a future next someone whom he should have never met, in a city where he should have never gone?  
Why Seto didn’t thought about it? He who always thought of everything and rarely left himself caught off guard by the events ...  
The pharaoh clenched his fists, realizing that he had wounded the pride in whom until a short time before had been his biggest rival, and, even worse, Atem had done it by lying.  
Now he understood that the story could not have been close with lies on his part, especially after Seto had been strong enough to challenge his ego to get him to understand what his real feelings were.  
Atem owed him that; it was time to close that chapter, and the one that Yugi had offered was the last chance to do so.  
-What’s holding me back?- He repeated, interrupting the silence had been created on the promontory -The remorse. I lied to you, Kaiba-.  
Seto stepped towards him, grabbing his slender arms and looking into his eyes: -Don’t start with the absurdities and speak clear-.  
Atem returned his gaze, sustained it without fear.  
-When you saw me with Seth I was sure you'd misunderstand- began the smallest -You're always been convinced that I considered you two similar just like everyone else, and that between him and me there was anything, or that there might be. I for one believed it at first, although I did not recall the bond that united us in the past, but it was not and is not love. It was never love, now I know. When we met in my past, I didn’t reject you because I felt something for my cousin. Letting you believe that has been nothing but a solution that I thought to let you go ahead and leave the whole thing to shoulders-.  
-The truth, Atem- insisted Seto, now outraged -I want to know what’s the truth-;  
-Is it so easy that the response escapes you, Kaiba?- He asked, raising his crimson irises on him -I don’t belong to this world! Did you forget it?-.  
Seto’s eyes widened, and the pharaoh took advantage of that moment of confusion on the part of his interlocutor to continue.  
-I don’t have my own body, I cannot live like any other person! If you were willing to believe it or not, you were aware that, sooner or later, founded my memory and my name, I should have gone back in the Afterlife. Someone like me, in this world, cannot and will never exist- He said -Kaiba, I will return as soon as possible to Egypt, in my land, and I’ll duel against Yugi. So ... Probably this will be the last time we see each other-;  
-Are you kidding me? - Seto exclaimed, rousing -Now you want me to believe you’re ready to leave?-;  
-No, I’ll never be- revealed Atem, just shaking his head and returning calm -But, as you’ve said, I can’t continue to share the body with Yugi with the knowledge that I can do no more than to live at his own expense… Soon I’ll belong to your past, and I’m sure you will manage to forgive me…-.  
-Don’t think it is so easy and look at me!- Seto ordered -What I think doesn’t count? You've already decided that I will forget you and act as if in these three years nothing had happened? But what do you think I am? A computer which you can format so easily? Are you giving me orders thinking of having a title that allow this? - He hissed -You say you don’t belong to this time, and that you will never belong to it, but tell me if I'm wrong, is not with or against Yugi I dueled throughout this time, so now don’t tell me stupid melodramatic speeches about leaving you behind in my past, and how sad your condition is. Although in a different way, in this time you lived, you left your tracks, so tell me clearly, Atem-;  
-What…?-;  
-Do you want to live? -.  
The grab of Seto on the boy’s arms grew, so much that Atem had difficulties to suppress a grimace of pain.  
-Tell me clearly- insisted the president of Kaiba Corp., as if by that answer depended his own life -You have been nothing but a parasite in Yugi’s body, but if you could choose, would you really leave full of remorse or wish to have your own body?-.  
Atem was silent, his eyes looked at Seto with daze, while he curled his lips and left his arms free from the grip.  
_Do You want your own body?_  
Of course. Of course he would like to live, to have his own body, and he was sure that Seto could read it in his face.  
Even in a situation such as that the words wouldn’t have been able to better express the dialogue that already passed between their eyes and what they both yearned.  
And yet, in Atem’s eyes, that glimmer of hope had gone a second time.  
He looked at Seto’s face, trying to impress on his mind his blue ocean eyes, his straight and thin nose, fleshy lower lip and that air perpetually frowning, stern and haughty that never left him, finally his voice, who knew how to turn his name in a warm and passionate sound ...  
From inside the room, the roar applause after Pegasus announce broke the silence that had arisen around the terrace, and Atem took a few steps back, attracting again the boy's gaze on him.  
-Sayonara, Kaiba-.  
Seto winced: -What?! No, don’t try t...! -.  
Atem’s eyes became vitreous, his body slumped against the railing, and Seto had to support him to prevent him from slipping to the ground; moments later he saw the boy's dark lashes vibrate, and these seemed to come to himself, even if disoriented.  
-Atem?-;  
-K-Kaiba, did you talk with him?-.  
Stifling a curse, the president of Kaiba Corporation let go of Yugi, who looked around bewildered, and, overcoming Pegasus that was reaching them, he strode away without a word.

-Atem?- called Yugi, inside the puzzle -Atem, what have you two said?- asked, repeatedly beating on the metal door that separated their souls, but this did not open, welcoming him as usual -It was as I thought, isn’t it? Kaiba was the person you were trying to avoid, am I right?-.  
When he realized that once again his questions would not find answers, Yugi stood motionless, his forehead resting on the slab of thick iron, cold and rusty, staring at the brick floor and the tears that had spotted it. Were the tears his? Were they Atem’s? It was not clear.  
What he was feeling at that moment Yugi was an excruciating burning at chest height, a total sense of loss, but which he did not understand either the nature nor the reason, since it didn’t seem to belong to him directly.  
He kept himself in the background to allow the two rivals to speak, respecting the privacy of his friend, but perceiving that uneasiness coming from him, Yugi began to regret his decision.  
Now he did not know what to say to give him a little comfort ...  
-Talk to me, Atem. Please-.  
-Yugi-Boy?- Pegasus's voice brought him back to reality -Are you ok? In the dining room is all ready, but I saw Kaiba-boy leave the party in a rather hasty way. It is not a good sign, I suppose- He said, being between sorry and angry.  
-I ... I don’t know what happened- had to admit the young duelist, still shaken -But I think it's better to leave him alone-.

It will not end like that, Seto kept telling himself, reaching his jet, ready to go to Japan.  
Starting the aircraft, he thought again about Atem’s words, rearranging the thoughts and those that from that moment on would be his priorities.  
He would find a solution to give him the possibility to choose according to his own will, and once found it he was certain that the pharaoh would have gone along with it.  
-Mokuba, I'm coming back- announced via radio -We have a lot of work to do-.  
On the other side of the receiver an exclamation of surprise of his younger brother arose, before the plane took off, disappearing into the darkness of the night and leaving the billionaire’s island behind.

**THE END.**

_Hello everyone!_  
I’d like to thank you all for taking the time to read “Nameless Story” *The title refers to a song by VALSHE, if you’re interested to hear it*.  
This is a simple and unpretentious fanfiction and my first attempt in English (and I’d like to thank my friend Kaze for helping me a lot  <3), but I sincerely hope you enjoyed it!  
Please, if you have any advice or opinions to give me, feel free. I’ll be happy to receive it!  
+Amerutan+


End file.
